Man, woman arrested after break-in at Chico restaurant

CHICO &GT;&GT; Two people were arrested Tuesday morning in connection to a burglary at a Chico restaurant, where the suspects used a portable cutting torch on an ATM.

Chico police alleged Scott Alexander Rose, 36, and Amanda Sue Roethlin, 24, broke into the Sin of Cortez restaurant and attempted to access the cash inside an ATM by using an acetylene torch, which is used to cut and weld metals.

The owner of Sin of Cortez, 2290 The Esplanade, was called by her alarm company at approximately 4:22 a.m. Tuesday after an alarm inside the business went off, Chico police Sgt. Rob Merrifield said.

The owner called the Chico Police Department at 4:29 a.m., and Chico police sent an officer to respond because the woman stated that she's never had an alarm go off and would be heading to the business alone, he said.

The front door of the business had been smashed out and the suspects had attempted to open the ATM by using the torch, Merrifield said. The suspects were not successful and ran away before police arrived.

During an officers' briefing at 7 a.m., officer Dave Bailey recalled a 2013 case where Rose and Roethlin were allegedly caught in possession of a backpack-mounted cutting torch along with weapons and other burglary tools, according to Chico police.

Bailey recognized the type of crime and thought of the possible suspect, Chico police Lt. Dave Britt said. Police weren't sure if the suspect was in town, but were able to confirm his whereabouts using surveillance from an unrelated commercial burglary in Chico.

According to police, Rose and Roethlin were also wanted for various other charges.

Bailey was able to get information that Rose was staying at the Matador Motel on The Esplanade and police set up surveillance at 10 a.m. At 11:25 a.m., Rose was seen leaving on a bicycle.

Police attempted to stop him, but Rose dumped the bike and ran away, Britt said. Rose was taken into custody in the 1900 block of Mars Way, a block away, after being struck by a baton.

Rose allegedly discarded a police scanner and a loaded .40-caliber handgun, which had been reported stolen, before being detained, but both items were recovered by police.

Roethlin was detained at the motel.

Inside the suspects' motel room, officers allegedly found an acetylene cutting torch, pieces of broken glass and clothing believed to have come from the restaurant.

Rose and Roethlin, who both had outstanding warrants, were booked into Butte County Jail on a variety of drug, weapon and burglary charges.

Chico police will continue to investigate to determine if they were involved in other incidents.